Liquid control



Feb 17, 1931. J, w. CUTHBERT 1,793,064

IIIQLT ID CONTROL Filed on: a, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JEJSEPH W. Cu THBERT.

ATTORNEY Feb; 171.193 .I. w. GUTHBERT LZQUID CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Cc-t. e, 4

INVEN TOR. Jbsfiw w. 60 THEER'I! BY ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH V]. CU'IHBERT, 013 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TOWILLIAM M. TIPPET'I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS LIQUID CONTROL Application filed October 6, 1924. Serial No. 741,979.

My invention is an improved liquid trap and vapor circulating system for refrigerators.

My invention is particularly useful in refrigeration systems in which a pump forces the refrigerant through an expansion valve into a cooling coil, the pump being of the rotary type running in oil. Since the pump is generally designed to' pump vapor only, any

liquid refrigerant coming into the pump causes the oil to float on top thereof, and consequently be forced into the cooling coil, leaving the pump without a lubricant, which causes it to burn out, and necessitates a replacement of parts at a loss of time and expense.

The object of my invention is to provide a trap for the liquid refrigerant, in which it is held and passed oil as a vapor into the pump, thus obviating the danger of burning out the pump.

In the annexed drawing the preferred form of my invention is illustrated, but it may also be embodied in other forms, and in 35 this application I desire to cover my invention in whatever form it may be embodied.

Figure 1 is a side view of a refrigerator with my invention embodied therein.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pump housing.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the liquid trap.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the trap control valve. Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional View of a modified form of the pump housing and trap.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of the valve used in the modified form of liquid tra R hferring more particularly to the drawing, the refrigeration system consists of a pump 1, mounted within a housing 2, and driven by a motor 3. The refrigerant is pumped by the pump 1 into the usual condenser 4, through the expansion valve 5 into the cooling coil 6, through the trap 7, and back into the pump.

Suflicient oil is placed in housing 2 to entirely submerge the pump, the oil being drawn into the pump through a hole 8 in the bottom thereof. The pump exhausts through a pair of pipes 9-9, which rise into the space above the oil. The vaporous refrigerant passes from the pipes 9 through the pipe-1O to the condenser 4.

Any liquid refrigerant which may be forced, or formed in the coil 6 passes into the trap 7 through the pipe 11, which extends into the port 12 in the head of said trap. A valve 13 is seated at the inner end of said port, which is normally held open to the free passage of vapor by the pressure in the coil 6. A finger 14 is pivoted below the valve 13 and bears against the inner end thereof. 65

A float 15 is secured to a rod 16, which is secured to the finger 14. An outlet pipe 18 extends into the trap near the top thereof, and leads to the intake of the pump 1. The float 15 normally rests on the bottom of the trap 7 and the valve 18 is thus open to the free flow of the vapor or liquid. If any of the refrigerant passes through the evaporator 6 without being vaporized, it accumulates in the bottom of the trap and gradually raises the float 15 until the finger 14 bears against the valve 13, and closes it. No more liquid refrigerant (such as S0 can enter until the quantity within the trap has vaporized and passed into the pump, which allows the float 15 to fall and again open the valve 18. It will thus be seen that no liquid refrigerant can pass into the pump to the detriment thereof.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Figures 5 and 6, the pump 1 is similarly placed within housing 2, and the pipes 9 extend upwardly therefrom above the level of the oil in the housing.

A transverse plate 20'is positioned within the housing 2 above the pipes9 and serves as a battle to deflect the oil and gas downwardly thereby separating them. Spaces 21 are provided at the ends of the plate 20 through v which the gas passes and thence out of the housing through the pipe 10 to the condenser.

A water jacket 22 is provided around the gland 28 through which the driveshaft 24 ex tends and pipes 25 and 26 extend into and out of the jacket 22. This jacket extends into 1 the housing 2 and into the oil Within the housing so as to cool said oil in a sutiicient amount to prevent vaporization thereof. A constant stream of fresh cold Water flows through the pipes and 26 and the jacket 22.

The tr p 7 consists of the usual housing into which the pipe 11 extends and out of which the pipe 1. extends to the pump 1.

it valve 27 positioned Within the trap 7 and the pipe 3.1 is threaded into oneend theref. This valve is of a welldmown type in which the valve is opened by a stem 28 and is normally held closed by a spring 29, well as by the pressure of the incoming liquid.

An arm 30 is secured to the bottom of the valve ii? and a finger 31 is pivoted thereto and bears against the end of the rod 28. A h t is pivoted to the bottom of the linger 31 and a second link 33 is pivoted to the arm 3G and to the free end oi the linl:

The float 34: is pivoted to the juncture point of the links 2 and Thus it "ill be seen that as the float 8%; rises in the trap 7, the upper end of linger 31 will be moved away from the pin 98, permitting the valve 27 to close and prevent any further passage of liquid. This causes the liquid to accumulate in the cooling coil 6, but as the pump rapidly es:- hausts the vapor from the trap, it produces a partial vacuum therein, with the result that the refrigerant in the trap is rapidl vaporized, causing the float to fall. Valve 2? then opens, allowing part of the refrigerant to flow from the coil to the trap.

laving described my invention, 1 claim".

1. In refrigerating device, an expansion valve, a cooling coil adapted to receive refrigerant from said expansion valve, a trap sioned at the opposite end of the coil. and at the level of the bottom thereof and connected thereto by a pipe, a valve in said pipe, means positioned in said trap for controlling said last mentioned valve, a pump connected to the upper portion said trap, and a condenser connected to said pump and to said expansion valve.

In a refrigerating device having a circuit comprising a compressor, a condenser, in expansion valve and an evaporator; a liquid ti ap positioned in said circuit between the evaporator and the compres or, a valve in said trap and means for controlling the degree of opening of said valve to thereby control the flow of fluid from said evaporator to said trap.

In a refrigerating device having a circuit comprising a compressor, a condenser,

mansion valve and an evaporator; liquid ti p positioned in said circuit between the evaporator and the compressor, a va ve in said trap for controlling the iiovv of fluid from the evaporat r to the trap, a float in said trap, and a plurality of levers operatively connecting said float with said valve.

In a refrigerating device having a cir cuit comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator; a liquid trap positioned in said circuit between the evaporator and the compressor, a valve in said trap for controlling the flow of fiuid from the evaporator to the trap, a float in said trap, operatively connected with said valve, said compressor comprising a rotary gas pump adapted to be immersed in oil, an exhaust pipe leading from said pump above the level of the oil and a bailie plate adjacent the upper end of said pipe.

5. In a refrigerating device, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, means including a trap at the outlet of said evaporator and connected between said evaporator and said compressor, a. valve in said trap actuable by fluid in said trap to gcontrollably close communication between said evaporator and said trap. whereby liquid refrigerant is prevented from entering said compressor from said evaporator.

In testimony whereof I a'l'lix my signature.

JOSEPH lV. CUTHBERT. 

